Tradition continues at 86th Ox Ridge charity horse show

The Ox Ridge Charity Horse Show, now in it’s 86th year and one of the oldest horse shows in America, kicks off next week with more than 500 horses and ponies scheduled to compete during the events which take place from Tuesday, June 13 to Sunday, June 18.

The family-friendly horse show is open to the public and features unique shopping and food vendors to enjoy while strolling the beautiful Ox Ridge grounds.

A $5 parking fee benefits the Pegasus Therapeutic Riding Program.

The highlight of the horse show, the $25,000 Ox Ridge Grand Prix presented by World Equestrian Center, is planned for Saturday, June 17 and will be contested by an international field of the country’s top show jumping riders.

In addition to prize money, the winner will earn their name on the Michael S. Griffin Memorial Trophy and a 3-month summer lease on a 2017 MINI Countryman, donated by CallariCars.com. The Grand Prix festivities are slated at approximately 1 p.m. The public is encouraged to attend and enjoy the thrilling sport.

The longtime beneficiary of the horse show is the Pegasus Therapeutic Riding program, an equine-assisted activities and therapies program for children and adults with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities hosted year-round at the Ox Ridge Hunt Club facility.

Pegasus will host an ice cream social for families on Sunday, June 18 at 2 p.m.

Ox Ridge Hunt Club celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2014.

Originally operated as a dairy farm, the Club’s name represents the use of oxen on the working farm positioned on a “ridge” that crowns the 100-plus acres of fields when the Club was founded. Today the Club sits on 22 beautiful acres of fields and equestrian facilities operated for the pleasure of its members and their horses, many of whom are top level show riders.

Following the March 2017 purchase from Ox Ridge of a 16.25-acre parcel of field by the Town of Darien for passive recreational activities, Ox Ridge remains one of the finest equestrian properties in Fairfield County.

For more information and a calendar of events, please visit oxridge.com. Follow @oxridgehuntclubhorseriding on Facebook and

@oxridgehunt on Instagram for news and updates.

About Pegasus Therapeutic Riding

Pegasus Therapeutic Riding’s mission is to enhance the lives of individuals with disabilities and challenges through equine-assisted activities and therapies.

Pegasus provides equine-assisted activities and therapies to more than 225 children and adults with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities. For more information please visit http://www.pegasustr.org.